Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Things are clicking along...

DH had cardiac rehab yesterday and a follow-up with his surgeon. Rehab didn't go so well, he got sick and threw up afterwards. I think it's because he had an empty stomach and his meds make him nauseous....

Surgeon says he can start driving and resuming most activities by next week, even though lifting anything over 5lbs (with each hand) is out for at least 3 months. But, that means I'm getting stronger and stronger, lol. I've never lifted so much 'stuff' in my life! Bought 10 bags of mulch yesterday that will have to be unloaded...didn't have time last night. Recently unloaded and moved about 30 - forty lb bags of dirt and then moved 'em again. Built a barrier in the bucks pen from a stock panel. They're heavy and hard to move for one person - well at least for this person - especially in a crowded area. Geeze!

Little goat doesn't seem to be making any progress. He can stand and hop a little (with many falls) but nothing more. It's starting to look like it's just not gonna work out for him. Anytime he's up the other little goats want to 'play' with him and he just goes tumbling. And, I keep finding him wet from his urine and that's not good. Definitely going to have to make a decision soon...

 

[Denim Deb]

Just getting caught up on everything. You've been thru a lot lately. Glad hubby is doing good, and sorry your buckling isn't.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I've gotta say that today has been a much better day than yesterday!

Yesterday morning DH woke up and immediately said there was something wrong with his right eye. He tried to explain that he was seeing a big red blob in his eye and that everything was hazy and 'psychedelic' looking. HUH? So, we call and try to get him an appt. with an eye doc only to remember that it's Good Friday. Nobody is open.... so off we go the ER...again... When will this madness stop????? WE get there and they do an ultrasound of his eye. I didn't even know they COULD do an ultrasound of the eye but they did. The ultra sound showed a 'bump' that might (or might not) be the beginnings of a (worst case scenario) retinal detachment. Or, (a little less serious) it could be a vitreous hemorrhage.

The ED department called in the ophthalmologist on call and he confirmed that it was a bleed. Soooo, next week we go in for treatment on the eye. If the blood has settled out of the eye enough they'll do laser surgery (thankfully - outpatient). If the blood hasn't settled out of his field of vision enough they'll do an injection into the eye that will hasten that process and we'll come back later for the laser surgery. Gee whiz! What else does this man have to endure?

HIs vision is still cloudy today, but he's dealing with it very well. In fact, it was a very productive day. We started the morning by butchering 3 roosters. He even helped! He did the killing and I did the butchering. At least his part isn't too physically demanding, but I was thankful for the help.

During the butchering, my DS and DIL came out to help me with the tiller. It needed a little heavy persuasion to start up after sitting all winter. But, my son is a wizard with anything that has an internal combustion engine... so I'm back in business! I got a new area tilled up and even got some 'mater plants in the ground. If it stays dry I hope to get some more done tomorrow.

DH is in the kitchen now - fully in charge of dinner. I just love him, lol!

Happy Easter ya'll!

 

[Denim Deb]

I could have used his help making dinner today.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Woke up to sad news this morning. Went out and found my little "murderess" Westie dead in her pen. Have absolutely NO idea what could have happened to her. I had her and her blind, deaf dad loose in the yard yesterday while I mowed their pen and she was running around all happy and silly - being her normal self. Put them up last night and she was reluctant to go into her pen - again, normal behavior - so I bribed them both with a couple of rib bones.

It is my worst nightmare that maybe she choked on the bone... or even a more horrible thought that maybe I stirred up a snake while mowing their pen and she got bitten. It was still dark outside when I found her so I won't be able to get a good look at her until I get home and bury her later today. Breaks my heart that she's laying dead in the pen right now... RIP Sadie...the best little 'ratter' ever.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Well, she didn't choke on the bone, because I found it laying right where I tossed it into her pen. and, I doubt it was a snakebite either.....and why do I think that? Because I doubt a snake would have hung around and killed my other dog too...

Turbo, the older Westie (and Sadie's sire) was dead when I got home from work today. I can only think that they must have found something poisonous when they were loose yesterday, but for the life of me I don't know what it could have been. Sadie had some fibrous, yellow looking 'stuff' in her mouth and the side of her face, like she'd thrown something up. I didn't see any on Turbo - maybe he died of a broken heart....

Oh, and we had to put down the little deformed goat.

Enough already...

 

[Britesea]

I feel so sorry for you. Losing one is bad enough. Losing both of them....

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It was almost unbelievable and totally devastating. Only comfort is that one doesn't have to live without the other now...

But - in the spirit of "life goes on" - I've got goose eggs in the incubator and I hear little baby goose noises. Checked on 'em and see that several of them have pipped. Maybe have some babies in the morning.

 

[goatgurl]

wow FEM, i just caught up with your thread and all i can say is bless your heart! you have had a rough two months for sure. glad DH is doing well. just keep at least one eye on him mostly for his blood sugar. and the old cardiac nurse in me says to tell you to keep an eye on his mood too. studies have shown that by-pass patients heal better and do much better as a whole if they are on antidepressants for a few months after surgery. just an fyi. am so sorry about your westies, there is no telling what they got into. poor babies. and the goaties, good and bad, indeed life goes on.
will be waiting to see how many geese you end up with. later gator.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks!
He is really doing well in his cardiac rehab...it's his blood sugar that is more of a constant concern with him. He's keeping much tighter control these days, but still occasionally has wild swings.

His father had this surgery many years ago and needed the anti-depressants. Thankfully, DH hasn't exhibited any depressive symptoms. They did his surgery 'off-pump' and we've heard that it prevents "pump head" which is said to cause cognitive decline along with depression. We feel mighty lucky that he had such a great surgeon.

Woke up this morning to 5 baby geese from the 5 eggs I put in the incubator. I would love to have let mama goose hatch them, but we've already lost the first 3 that hatched a few days ago under another mother. I've gotta admit though that I enjoy raising baby geese - they do tend to bond with you and get so much tamer than parent raised geese. I'm sure it has nothing to do with spoiling them!